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AHAP COMMITTEE
This page was last updated: 9/29/2009
AHAP Committee Meeting
February 13, 2009
Attendees: Mrs. Geiler, Jane Chen, Tracy Harris, Shari Brunning, Michele Tuchinsky, Ilyse Flattau, Janet Damiano, Terry Tucker, Denise and Gil Spencer, Luciana DeCarlo, Robin Fulep, Alysse Ellenberger-LoPresti, Katy Madden, Carolyn Cipriano, Ellen Rubinowitz and Elyse Rafal Epstein
- Joe Tolles, the head of the Guidance Department at Candlewood Middle School , was the speaker at this meeting. He spoke about self-esteem.
Mr. Tolles discussed how competition relates to self-esteem and that a sense of competition drives self-esteem. He also defined self-esteem. In addition, he gave ideas on how parents can help increase their child’s self-esteem. Mr. Tolles stated that spending time with children directly affects their self-esteem. Mr. Tolles also discussed the things that parents do that decrease self-esteem. He stated that there is such a thing as too much praise. If a parent wants their child to believe them and if a parent doesn’t wish for praise to become the expectation, then the amount of praise should be balanced. Mr. Tolles also feels that parents should not place too much pressure on their children. He feels that parents should not schedule their children in too many activities; parents should instead encourage their children to participate in only activities that they simply enjoy.
There was also a brief discussion on the 5th grade graduation.
The next meeting is Friday, March 20, 2009 at 10 AM in the Manasquan Board Room.
Mrs. Rhonda Harrison will be the guest speaker.
AHAP COMMITTEE MEETING
March 20,2009
Attendees: Mrs. Geiler, Shari Brunning, Marla Dubler, Nanci Leifer, Vinny Damiano, Terry Tucker, Denise Spencer, Carolyn Makover, Luciana DeCarlo, Vicki Genovese, Ellen Rubinowitz and Elyse Rafal Epstein
Rhonda Harrison was the guest speaker, who talked about gifted education. She is the mother of two former AHAP students who are 20 and 24 years old. The older son graduated from Brown with a double major in math and biochemistry and is currently at NYU getting his Masters in Financial Engineering. The younger son is a junior at Harvard. Mrs. Harrison was the Chairperson of AHAP from 1994-2000. She was a speech pathologist for many years. She currently tutors for the SAT (verbal).
Mrs. Harrison discussed how the top 20 children from each high school are often the AHAP children. She also stated that gifted education is a part of special education and how every child should have an IEP. Mrs. Harrison stated that AHAP is not curriculum based. (i.e. there is no enriched math).
Mrs. Harrison discussed The Davidson Institute for Talented Youth, which is an organization for profoundly gifted children. They can apply for scholarships in various fields like math, science, music, writing, and art.
She mentioned how the children can take the SATs through John Hopkins in 7th grade. She also stated that the ACT is curriculum based.
Congratulations to Zachary Baumgartner, a 5th grade AHAP student from Paumanok, who is going to California for Jeopardy Kids Week for a taping in 2 weeks . The show will be on television the week of July 13th.
Thank you Bonnie Perlman for volunteering to bring the snacks for the next meeting.
The next meeting is Friday, April 24, 2009 at 10 AM in the Manasquan Board Room.
Mr. Phillip Stuart will be the guest speaker.
AHAP Committee Meeting
April 24, 2009
Attendees: Mrs. Geiler, Limin Chen, Alisa Klinger, Shari Brunning, Marla Dubler, Nanci Leifer, Terry Tucker,, Luciana DeCarlo, Jamie Epstein, Bonnie Perlman, Katy Madden, Wendy Adler, Sonia Patel, Ellen Rubinowitz and Elyse Rafal Epstein
Mr. Philip Stuart, former AHAP facilitator and founding father of the Half Hollow Hills AHAP program in 1978, was the speaker at this meeting. He spoke about creative insight.
Mr. Stuart first spoke about how difficult it was for him to retire. However, he felt very comfortable retiring because Mrs. Geiler, who has so much energy and creativity, became the new AHAP facilitator.
He spoke about great creators from history. Mr. Stuart discussed the things that link creative personalities. Persistance, the ability to concentrate intensely, and the ability to see the whole rather than the part are traits of creative personalities. .There is still some controversy on what constitutes a creative mind. Memory training is wonderful for gifted children. Another characteristic of giftedness is an individual who has the capacity to learn easily.
Mr. Stuart also stated that everyone should create a relaxed atmosphere for gifted children because they thrive in that environment. He recommends exposing them to high culture whenever possible.
He also discussed the role of dreams in divergent thinking in order to look for truth and beauty. He said that we should encourage our children to keep a journal.
Mr. Stuart stated that “AHAP is a stimulus package that really works. He believes that if our children follow their creativity, there will be opportunities for them in the future.
In conclusion, Mr. Stuart stated that our society often encourages conformity and that the creative urge is often inbibited. Therefore, the creative mind can atrophy. He concluded that “our child’s vision should find voice.”
A special thanks to Bonnie Perlman for this month’s snacks.
Mr. Stuart also mentioned that currently applications are being solicited for Chairperson of AHAP for the following acacademic year. .
The next meeting is Friday, May 15, 2009 at 10 AM in the Manasquan Board Room.
Mrs. Allison Strand will be the guest speaker.
AHAP Committee Meeting
May 15, 2009
Attendees: Mrs. Geiler, Jane Chen, Kathy Young, Shari Brunning, Jill McDermott, Marie Sommer, Nanci Leifer, Terry Tucker, Janet Damiano, Ilyse Flattau, Luciana DeCarlo, Lisa Metaxas, Bonnie Perlman, Katy Madden, Wendy Adler, Regina Kim, HyangSook Kim, Ellen Rubinowitz and Elyse Rafal Epstein
Allison Strand, Assistant Prinicipal at Candlewood Middle School, and Donna Stillman, Guidance Counselor at Candlewood, spoke about middle school and opportunities for gifted children.
Mrs. Strand and Stillman both stressed how having fun and a good sense of humor is an important part of education, especially for gifted children because they are so driven to be successful.
They discussed how “teaming” works and that teaming is a good way to break up a large number of incoming students into a minischool. Each team has approximately 120 students who have the same teachers and guidance counselor and usually the same lunch period. They share award ceremonies together and the teachers meet for interdisciplinary lessons. There are also team meetings with parents. Everyone on the team has the same homework, so teaming facilitates students communicating with one another at home if they have questions about assignments.
In addition, there was a discussion about how middle school is a difficult time socially and emotionally. Academically, the children have 9 different teachers who have 9 different ways. There will be teachers they like and teachers they don’t like because they will have different personalities. Also, this is a time that they will make many new friends. Therefore, they will learn a lot about life skills.
The fifth graders just had their orientation to middle school. They will also come to their middle school the week before the commencement of middle school so that they can meet their guidance counselor and administrators, as well as practice going to their classes and opening their lockers. Many suggestions were given to parents of fifth graders to ease their child’s transition into sixth grade. One tip was to purchase a lock and to practice opening the lock multiple times prior to the start of school. There is also a back to school night for parents of sixth graders in the fall so that the parents can listen to their teachers talk and the parents can go through their child’s entire schedule.
The middle school children will learn organizational skills. Academically, in sixth grade, there is a “spiraling curriculum,” where the children will see the same work they saw in fifth grade during the first quarter. However, in the second quarter, new material will be presented in greater depth and understanding.
A special thanks to Katy Madden for this month’s snacks.
Fifth grade AHAP graduation is on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 1 PM in the Manasquan gymnasium.
The next meeting, June 19, 2009, has been cancelled
COMMENTS
Graduation
TIME
10:00 AM
10:00 AM
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DATE
Sept 17
Oct. 22
Nov. 19
Dec. 17
Jan. 21
Feb. 11
March 18
April 22
May 20
June 16
The AHAP Committee sponsors programs for gifted children in the district. PTA representatives to this committee have children who are currently enrolled in the AHAP program. They meet with the HHH administration and the district's AHAP facilitator-teacher to discuss scheduling, qualifications for acceptance into the program, course descriptions and options.
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AHAP COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS
Elyse Rafal Epstein & Shari Brunning- 2009-10
SCHEDULED MEETINGS
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